Balloon



Feb. 9,1926. 1,572,187

J.F.COOPER BALLOON Origin l Filed Nov. 5, 1924 INVENTOR (Tamas I. Coooer;

BY M 3% ATTORN EY Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. COOPER, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBERCOMPANY, OF AKRON, OHIO, A CORI'ORATION OF OHIO.

' BALLOON.

Original application 'filed November 3, 1924, Serial No. 747,407.Divided and this application filed July so, 1925. Serial m. 47,076.

'1 '0 all whom may concern:

Be it known that-l, JAMES F. Coorniatr citizen of the United States, andresident of Akron, Ohio,have invented new and useful In'iprovements inBalloons, this application being a division of application Serial No;717,407, filed November 3, 192 1, of which the following is aspecification.

My present invention relates to balloons,

and has particular relation to the type The object of my inventionconsists in providing a balloonso constructed that the expansion andcontraction of the gas in the balloon will not materially change theshape thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide a balloon having meansadapted to resiliently resist gas pressure within certain limits and tomaintain a smooth surface over substantially the entire area of theballoon under all conditions of atmospheric temperature.

Heretofore balloons have been used for display or advertising purposesbut, so far as I am aware, all prior constructions have beensubstantially spherical in form and none of them has been provided withmeans as disclosed by my invention for maintaining adequate pressureupon the inner surface of the balloon even when the gas pressure thereinhas reduced to a considerable extent. I have also provided novel meansfor suspending the balloon which assists in maintaining a constant anduniform shape of the balloon.

Reference may now be had to the accompanying drawings which form a partof this specification and of which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a balloon embodying the principlesof my invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the structure shown In Fig. 1.

In practicingmy invention, I provide an inflatable annulus 10 composedof a light weight fabric which is substantially nonpermeabletoaiigrwhich is substantially circular in cross-section and is similar inform to an automobile tire. Upon the inner periphery of the annulus 10are provided two cone-shaped members l l aud 12, also composed oflightweight non-permeable material, representing a disk wheel used 1nconjunction with the tire 10, which are secured to the annulus in anysuitable manner, as indicated at 13. The connection 13 must, of course,be air-tight. The members 10, 11 and 12 constitute a container for gasand are maintained in open communication with each other by means ofopenings 14 in the inner wall of the annulus 10. These members may beconstructed of the conventional type of balloon fabric.

It is a well known fact that when a bal- 10011 is flying and exposed tothe atmosphere which changesin temperature, such changes causeconsiderable variation in the pressure of the gas in the balloon,causing the surface of the balloon to be stretched whenthe gas expandsand to become slack and wrinkled when the gas contracts. In order toovercome these disadavantages, I have provided resilient means which, asindicated in Fig. 1, consist of elastic cords 15, made of rubber orother suitable material, connected between the members 11 and 12, bymeans of patches 16 secured to the member 12 and to an eyelet 17provided at the apex of the coneshapedmember 11.. Any convenient numberof these rubber or elastic members may be used. The elastic cords orstrands are normally under tension, after the balloon has been inflatedwith the usual amount of gas.

It will be apparent from this construction that increased pressureexerted within the balloon against the inner surfaces of the members 11and 12 will tend to stretch the rubber cords 15. On the other hand whenthe temperature is lowered and the gas contracts, the rubber cords willdraw the mem bers 11 and 12 toward each other and maintain the desiredpressure upon the interior surface of the balloon. Thus the surfaces ofthe member 11 and the annulus 10 will be kept under substantiallyconstant pressure and the surface of the member 12 Will be moved .withrespect to the member .11 to \vithsuitable advertising-information,such,

for example, as the name-of the tire being advertised and-the name ofthe :mannfacturer. I

From the foregoing description, it vwill be apparent that I haveprovided aballoon of considerable advertising value. on .account of-thefact that-it is of the configuration of the article toibe advertised..Also,.it will be rappru ent that by means-of the temperaturecompensating feature, a balloon constructed .in accordance withmyinvention'will ipresen-tar smooth surface of the desiredconfiguration, irrespective of. the changes in temperature to which itmay be subjected.

Although 31 have illustrated a single embodiment of my inventionanddescribed it .in specific detail, it is tozbe understood thattl-iedisclosure is merely illustrative :and is not designed to restrictthe invention-either incorporated therein to in scope or spirit unlesssuch restrictions are indicated in the claims appended hereto.

that I-clainris:

1. .Aiiballoon having .an;annnlar inflatable main body portion and acircular inflatable body portion disposed Within said main body portionin communication "thereu ith.

'2. Aballoon of substantially circular relatively flat configuration,and resilient means permit relative movement of the relativelyfiatsideportions thereof upon changes in pressure within the balloon.

3. A balloon comprising an annular inflatable portion, a circularinflatable ;portion-disposed within the annular portion, :and aperforated partition separating the interiorof the annularportion fromthe interiozrof thecircular portion.

4.111 :a' balloon comprising an annular portion, and adisk-shapedportion secured thereto, suspension lines connected to bothportions and a ':resilient :ineniber secured .Withinithedisk-shapeportion in alineinent with one of a the suspension lines.

'5. -111-'2(L balloon comprising an inflatable annular gportion and adisk-shape portion secured within the annulus, suspension-lines:connected to both portions, and a resilient cord-member secured withinthe d1sk-shape port-i on substantially along the; axis thereof .inalinen'ient' avith one of 1 the suspension lines.

In 'avitness whereof, I have hereunto s gned :nay name.

Jars ins r. .ooornn.

